Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1310806
LONDON CALLING O KA, the stylish purveyor of English- designed furniture and objects, opens its first stateside stores in early 2021, following the launch of online U.S. availability in 2019. Headquartered in the Chelsea area of London, the 21-year-old brand was founded by Sue Jones, Annabel Astor, and Lucinda Waterhouse with the philosophy that good interior design should be accessible to everyone. While they're being hush- hush for now about which cities will get brick-and-mortar stores early next year, Dallas and Houston are likely locations. In 2018, OKA purchased StyliSh EngliSh intEriorS brand OKA rollS out StorES in amErica. the Dallas-based catalog and online home furnishings company Wisteria, which had retail stores in both cities and shuttered all three stores over the summer. Speculation is that OKA will move into these Wisteria stores, and that its U.S. headquarters will be in Farmer's Branch. We caught up with Sue Jones, who chatted about her fashion background, Jasper Conran, and her mission to bring a bit of British quirkiness to America. Influences. For me, interiors and fashion are about creating beauty, style, and comfort. Recognizing when to spend money is key: Just because something is expensive doesn't mean it's great. Interiors were always something that fascinated me, but much of my interest in them came when I met my husband, who has a very sophisticated eye and is a great collector. We've traveled extensively, and from that, I've discovered that very English quality of recognizing what is beautiful and how it can be adapted into a more English way of life. The Jasper cOnran facTOr. I worked with Jasper Conran for 10 years and watched everything. I'm a great believer that creative people don't have to stick to their chosen field. Jasper is a natural master of color and form who can turn his aesthetic to anything and is as well-known for his interiors as his fashion. He had fantastically exciting input from his father, the late Sir Terence Conran, who was our chairman and, at that time, in the '80s, about the most important person in the home-wares and retail world. The OKA lOOK. The wonderful thing about OKA is that there's no set look. I admire all kinds of tastes. The English have always been good at creating homes to be lived in and enjoyed. I never approve of putting things away to be "saved for best." BriTish invAsiOn. We hope to bring a bit of British quirkiness to the States. We love mixing styles and have a history of borrowing influences from around the world and tailoring them for our own way of living. COllABOrATiOns. We recently launched a beautiful new tableware range designed by Adam Lippes, and we're looking forward to collaborating with more experts in their fields next year and beyond. By REBECCA SHERmAn OKA Fall 2020 collection From left, OKA founders Sue Jones, Annabel Astor, Lucinda Waterhouse 54